[Raul's POV]
I am currently inside a tunnel being constructed by the earth-element mages. It is stiflingly hot in here, and the lighting is minimal.
The entrance to this tunnel is located one kilometer from the city. After nearly six days, the mages have only reached a distance of 300 meters. Their work involves excavating the soil, hauling it out, and then reinforcing the tunnel with stone supports.
This tunnel is situated at a depth of only 50 meters. I believe this is sufficient to ensure our activities remain undetected by the enemy.
"Keep digging and get this dirt out of here!"
"We've been using magic for hours; how much longer until the shift change?"
There are five mages excavating the earth and three people removing the dug-up soil. Every three hours, these mages are rotated out to recover their Mana.
Every time they advance 30 meters, the mages create stonework around the tunnel walls to withstand the surrounding ground pressure so that the soldiers can pass through safely.
"Hey, you said you've entered this city before, right?"
Beside me was a Supervisor tasked with overseeing the work. He is a specialized architect participating in the war.
"That's right, what is it?" I asked him.
"Are you certain this path won't collide with any of their facilities?"
"Actually, this city has an underground area," I answered him. "However, I don't think the path we're taking will intersect with that area, as it's located near the river."
— GRRRUUUHHHH!!!
Suddenly, we felt a vibration originating from above.
"It seems the battle upstairs is intensifying," the Architect said.
"That's to be expected, isn't it? We have to look like we're genuinely trying so the enemy thinks we really intend to enter their city from the front," I replied.
Days passed, and we finally completed the tunnel on the twentieth day.
Four people, including myself, then emerged from the ground by creating a hole during the night, discovering that this exit point was located right behind a city barrack.
We hurried out and covered the hole before any of the guards noticed us. Afterward, we scattered to find a suitable point for our troops to emerge later.
I slinked through the city alleys and then climbed onto the roof of a building to broaden my view of the area.
— BOOMBB!! BOOMBB!! BOOMBBB!!
The sounds of explosions and heavy impacts echoed from my left.
If I recall correctly, our forces have prepared a significant assault to divert the enemy's attention to the front so that when our other troops emerge from the tunnel we built, the enemy will not be ready to intercept them.
A golden light appeared from the direction of the explosions.
"Elena..."
She is currently at the very front line, using her Profound Codex so that the soldiers can endure while storming the defenses of the City of Tusculum.
"We have to be fast..."
After searching here and there, I finally found a suitable exit point for the troops who will pass through the tunnel we built.
It is the building of the Temple of Goddess Diana in this city. Currently, the place is empty, as the Priests seem to be at the front to treat the wounded more quickly.
After securing a good location, I returned to the hole I had emerged from earlier and told the mages to open the tunnel exit path there.
***
[Elena's POV]
The sounds of magical explosions and rifles are everywhere. I and the advancing soldiers are currently taking cover behind several earth walls created by our mages.
At this moment, 30,000 soldiers are charging toward the City of Tusculum. However, before we can reach the city, the enemy forces fire upon us with magic and live ammunition, halting our progress 200 meters from the city entrance.
— BANG! BANG!
— BOMB! BOMB!
The earth wall we are using for cover vibrates violently after being hit by enemy magical projectiles. Large cracks appear, signaling that this wall will soon crumble.
On the other side, our golems are also hurlng stone projectiles toward the city, causing the magical fire and bullets directed at our cover to cease temporarily.
"Now! Advance!" I ordered the entire force.
"Oohhh!"
"Ooooh!"
All the soldiers began emerging from behind the walls and scattering. I followed suit and started running toward the City of Tusculum.
Directly ahead, there was an earth wall topped by sharpshooter squads from the Venetian Republic. It appeared they had reloaded their weapons and were beginning to aim at us.
— Bang! Bang! Bang!
Many of the soldiers around me fell after they fired upon us.
I then drew my sword and activated the Thunder Whip spell, which transformed my sword into a long whip of lightning.
— Crack! Crack! Crack!
I lashed out at the Venetian Republic's firing line atop the earth wall, giving our troops the opportunity to advance and breach the earth wall blocking the city entrance.
"Advance! Be brave! Do not falter, for victory is surely in our hands!"
After I shouted those words, the movements of the soldiers I led became noticeably faster than before. A golden light also radiated from their bodies.
It seems this Profound Codex activates whenever I inspire a crowd in battle. I must be able to control it perfectly to use it more effectively later.
"Flame Emperor!"
— BOOOMMMBBB!!!
Suddenly, a blaze of fire shaped like a dragon surged from behind, striking the wall blocking the city entrance and obliterating it.
That was an attack from Grand Espada Danilo.
The soldiers then swarmed into the city. However, the enemy forces certainly wouldn't let them enter easily and began firing magical projectiles.
Our mages in the rear tried to fire back until the Infantry units could fully enter the city.
"Retreat! The first defense has been breached!"
"Retreat in stages!"
I heard those shouts from the enemy forces. They appeared to be retreating and forming new defensive lines around the buildings in this city.
"If this continues, even if we can breach their defenses, the number of casualties we suffer will definitely be high despite using my Profound Codex," I murmured, pessimistic about the progression of the battle. "I wonder when the troops using the tunnel will appear in the fight?"
If they can hit the Alliance forces with a surprise attack, it will certainly be easier for us to conquer this city.
However, suddenly my body began to feel a bit weak. Something strange is happening here...
"..."
Small droplets of blood emerged from my body and floated toward a certain place.
"What is this!? My body, which was originally very light, is now so heavy!"
"Me too! My blood is coming out of the wounds I received!"
Not only me, but both our forces and the enemy's forces saw their blood being lifted and drawn toward a single point.
What is actually happening...
"Hahahaha! After all this time, I finally take to the battlefield!"
Suddenly, I heard a crazed laugh from up ahead. I had a bad feeling about this.
***
[Vlad's POV]
Kill...
Kill...
And Kill...
It's been a long time since I've carved up human bodies!
It feels so good to hear their screams of terror as death approaches!
"Retreat! He's a madman!"
"What kind of magic is he actually using!"
Currently, I am slaughtering the Aragon soldiers who have begun entering the city.
For months, they didn't allow me to fight. However, because the Alliance forces are struggling this time due to the ability Elena awakened, they had no choice but to deploy me into the battle.
"Die, you Madman!"
One of the enemy Knights attacked me with his sword, but I easily dodged and grabbed his throat with one hand.
"Blood Suction..."
The moment I murmured the name of that spell, the body of the Knight I was choking began to wither. The sense of ecstasy I felt grew as I drained more of this Knight's blood.
"Stop it..." the Knight said weakly, trying to pry my arm off.
"Huh? What did you say? Say it louder!" I shouted with delight.
"Please... stop... I still... don't want to die..."
Hahaha! Hahaha! That expression... I love the expression people make when they plead while facing death.
"Fine."
I slightly loosened my grip on his neck. The Knight's expression looked as if he had a glimmer of hope. However, I suddenly choked him again even harder and drained all the remaining blood in his body until only a skeleton remained.
the expression on the Knight's face, which was initially hopeful, now looked full of horror and terror.
— Thud!
I tossed his corpse onto the street and stared at the other Imperial troops attempting to break into the city from various directions.
It seems my desires will be satisfied on this battlefield.
"Advance! Do not stop and keep pushing the enemy back!"
From a distance, a beautiful and dignified woman could be seen encouraging and directing the troops she led on the battlefield.
Not only that, her body moving to slash through our forces so gracefully caused my lust to peak; I wanted to change her expression of bravery and dignity into one of fear and despair.
Oh, Elena... Oh, Elena...
After we win this war, you will be my slave. You will serve me every night, and your screams will become a lullaby that lets me sleep soundly.
I began scratching my cheeks and pulling my own hair, imagining that happening.
Without me realizing it, a spell activated, causing the blood of people within a one-kilometer radius of me to lift and gather in the air right above me.
Blood Frenzy...
An ability typically possessed by the descendants of the Dracus Family—the leaders of the Draconia Kingdom.
Our ability can absorb blood from surrounding living beings and gather it as an infinite supply of Mana if used in combat.
During the absorption process, those whose blood is being siphoned will experience a weakening effect on their bodies, making this ability of mine perfect for countering Elena's ability.
"Hahaha! This is so much fun! Time for a blood feast!" I shouted and began activating magic to slaughter everyone around me.
The expressions of the enemy troops, who had been spirited due to Elena's magic, now turned to terror as they saw me coming toward them.
"Bloody Pike!"
The moment I activated that spell, hundreds of blood spears jutted out from the ground, impaling the Imperial soldiers and hoisting them into the air.
"Who else wants to try! I—Vlad mel Dracus—will send you all to hell! Hahahaha!"
Not a single enemy approached; they only stared at me in fear, not knowing what to do.
"You haven't changed at all, Loser."
Suddenly, I heard a voice that was very familiar to me. A voice from the person I've wanted to destroy most for a long time.
"Oh, you stopped laughing? Does my presence bring back the trauma of that defeat?"
I turned to the side and saw a black-haired, one-eyed man walking toward me. The blood sticking to his sword and body began to lift due to the effect of my magic.
"RAUL DE GARCIAAA!"
I formed a blood sword and lunged at the man I hated so much.
— Clang!
Our swords clashed. He was actually smiling, unlike the other soldiers who were terrified when facing me.
"This time I will kill you! I will mince you into pieces and feed your remains to the pet dogs!"
Hearing my threat, he laughed mockingly. I desperately wanted to change his facial expression into a fear of death, just like the people I killed.
"Oh, really?" he said casually. "I also want to finish you off and shut that noisy mouth of yours, but..."
— BOOOMMMBBB!!!!
Suddenly, the sound of a lightning explosion echoed from the side.
I turned and saw dozens of our soldiers sent flying by someone's magical attack.
From the plume of smoke caused by the lightning explosion, a blonde woman slowly emerged and began walking closer.
"The one fighting you this time is our War Goddess."
The black-haired man then leaped backward.
I didn't chase him because my focus was now on the woman currently staring at me with pure hatred.
"You look like you're enjoying slaughtering my troops, Prince Vlad," the woman said coldly. "Isn't it time you faced an opponent equal to yourself?"
Although her words sounded very polite, there was a real threat behind them.
"Hahahaha! Hahahaha! How interesting! How interesting!" I laughed with delight again. "Very well, Elena de Aragon! Let us settle our business here! Your nation will lose, and everyone you lead will be made into my slaves!"
We both activated Accel magic and lunged toward each other.
— Clang!
My blood sword and Elena's Lightning Sword clashed, creating sparks of fire around our blades.
Our gazes met; her beautiful blue eyes looked as if they were burning with the anticipation of our duel, which would determine the battle for this city.